Daniel Cheung wanted to join the police but, as fate would have it, he entered into a profession that is both highly challenging and rewarding
Daniel Cheung Chiu-lee is one of only two male nurses working at the Matilda International Hospital on The Peak, but these days being in an obvious minority within the profession rarely crosses his mind.
He has become accustomed to the disparity in numbers ever since his early training classes in 1983. Back then he was one of seven men in a group of 40 student nurses, which at the time was considered a higher-than-average number. And 25 years later, he sees no particular reason to think the nursing profession will be anything other than predominantly female far into the future.
But despite the fact that most male nurses still work in psychiatric wards, with few handling general duties, Mr Cheung has noticed a change in attitudes in recent years. For instance, gone are the days when he would automatically be mistaken for a doctor.
'When I first went to work in hospitals, there was still a very traditional culture,' he said. 'If you were male, you must be a doctor, if you were female, you must be a nurse.' His role still comes as a surprise to some patients, but he has never been greatly concerned about being in the minority.
In fact, he soon came to enjoy the feeling of being a pioneer, and saw that as an advantage whenever he was called on to help out in potentially awkward situations.
